Podcast: Stevenson-Yoshino, Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Fundora-Mendoza cards

Plus: Taylor-Lopez, AJ's schedule change, Berlanga's return and memories on anniversary of Barrera's huge win over Hamed

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Welcome to the Fight Freaks Unite recap podcast coming off a busy Saturday with three notable American cards headlined by Shakur Stevenson sixth-round knockout of Shuichiro Yoshino in a WBC lightweight eliminator, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez’s gutsy decision win over Cristian Gonzalez to win the vacant WBO flyweight title, and Brian Mendoza’s sensational seventh-round upset knockout of Sebastian Fundora to win the WBC interim junior middleweight title. We recapped all three cards and gave our thoughts. We also went over some news of the week and recalled a very memorable fight week and big-time showdown on its 22nd anniversary.

Here’s what we discussed on this episode (in order):

• Stevenson’s hugely impressive destruction of Yoshino to secure a mandatory title shot. What was so impressive and how good can he be?

• The outstanding knockout wins by heavyweight Jared Anderson and lightweight Keyshawn Davis on the undercard.

• Rodriguez’s win despite fighting the second half of the fight with jaw broken in two places, his impending surgery and what may be next for him.

• Marlon Tapales’ big upset of Murodjon Akhmadaliev to win the WBA/IBF junior featherweight titles thanks to winning the six of the first seven rounds on two scorecards.

• Featherweight up-and-comer Raymond Ford’s impressive two-knockdown performance in a one-sided decision over Jessie Magdaleno. Why it was impressive and where does he fit in in a deep 126-pound division?

• The shock of Mendoza’s massive KO of Fundora, where Mendoza came from and what the big win means for him?

• Junior welterweight Brandun Lee’s decision win over Pedro Campa in the toughest test of his career in the co-feature.

• The official announcement of Josh Taylor’s junior welterweight title defense against Teofimo Lopez and why Taylor’s presence at the Stevenson-Yoshino card was so important.

• Anthony Joshua cryptic announcement on Sunday that his planned summer return is off and that he won’t fight again until December. What’s that all about?

• Super middleweight Edgar Berlanga’s first fight since signing with Matchroom Boxing being set for June 24 against Jason Quigley.

• Memories on the 22nd anniversary of Marco Antonio Barrera’s career-defining victory over fellow Hall of Famer Naseem Hamed to win the lineal featherweight title in a major HBO PPV event I covered at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Also stories from the memorable fight week that included my first interviews with Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko and spending time with them and Lennox Lewis on the set during the filming of the fight scenes for the blockbuster movie Ocean’s Eleven.

Please give it a listen! Also: rate, review, subscribe and enjoy!

We will be bringing you the weekend recap each Monday. Let me know what you think of the podcast by leaving your comments.

Stevenson photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

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